Prepare against Paul Smith
IOM · World #89,497 classical · FIDE ID 418218
When preparing against Paul Smith, expect 1.d4 in 76% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...d5 (67% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (91%).
Our database contains 60 games by Paul Smith, covering Sep 2009 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Paul Smith's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Paul Smith before a game. You can open the same data in the free interactive preparation workstation, which builds a move-by-move opening tree from every game.
Ratings
| Time control | Current | Peak | Peak date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classical | 1,760 | 1,818 | Jul 2011 |
| Rapid | 1,800 | 1,842 | May 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 60 | 23 | 13 | 24 | 38.3% |
| As White | 29 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 37.9% |
| As Black | 31 | 12 | 5 | 14 | 38.7% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Paul Smith's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Paul Smith's side.
First moves as White (29 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 22 | 75.9% | 54.5% |
| Nf3 | 7 | 24.1% | 42.9% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 76% of White games, 54.5% score
- …d5 (50% of these games) — Smith usually continues Bf4 (78.6% score)
- …Nf6 (27% of these games) — Smith usually continues Nf3 (40.0% score)
- …e6 (9% of these games) — Smith usually continues Nf3 (75.0% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 24% of White games, 42.9% score
- …Nf6 (29% of these games) — Smith usually continues d4 (0.0% score)
- …d5 (29% of these games) — Smith usually continues g3 (75.0% score)
- …e6 (14% of these games) — Smith usually continues g3 (0.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (15 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 10 | 66.7% | 45.0% |
| e6 | 3 | 20.0% | 33.3% |
| c5 | 2 | 13.3% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (11 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 10 | 90.9% | 75.0% |
| d5 | 1 | 9.1% | 0.0% |
Paul Smith's chess games
All 60 games by Paul Smith in the Chess.ceo database (Sep 2009 - Jul 2026) are free to browse, search and replay: filter by opening, opponent, event or date on the player page, or step through any game on the analysis board. Record: 23 wins, 13 draws, 24 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D00 | London System | 9 | 5/2/2 | 55.6% |
| A04 | Réti Opening | 4 | 1/2/1 | 25.0% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 3 | 0/0/3 | 0.0% |
| A48 | King's Indian Defense | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| D35 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| A16 | Réti Opening: Symmetrical Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| A43 | Benoni Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| D02 | Torre Attack | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 10 | 3/3/4 | 30.0% |
| D02 | London System | 4 | 3/0/1 | 75.0% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| C14 | French: Classical Variation | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B22 | French Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| E12 | Indian Defense: Seirawan Attack | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A00 | Kadas Opening | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| D06 | Queen's Gambit | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| E18 | Queen's Indian Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2023 | Glenn Cross | 1,742 | Douglas Major & Minor Open | E12 |
| Oct 2023 | John Costello | 1,720 | Douglas Major & Minor Open | D00 |
| Feb 2012 | Niall Doran | 1,693 | Brighton e2e4 Major B | A08 |
| Dec 2021 | Howard Dobson | 1,648 | ch-IOM | B01 |
| Oct 2016 | Adrian K Riley | 1,606 | Douglas IoM Major Open | D02 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton e2e4 Major B | 2012 | 8 | 2.5 | 1,630 |
| Douglas IoM Major Open | 2016 | 7 | 4 | 1,662 |
| Douglas IoM Minor Open | 2017 | 7 | 4.5 | 1,720 |
| Douglas IoM Open C | 2018 | 7 | 4.5 | 1,616 |
| Douglas Major & Minor Open | 2023 | 7 | 4 | 1,784 |
| Isle of Man Minor | 2019 | 7 | 4.5 | 1,663 |
| Isle of Man Open | 2011 | 6 | 1.5 | 1,838 |
| ch-IOM | 2021 | 5 | 1 | 1,479 |
Interactive opening tree from all 60 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Paul Smith's chess games?
60 games by Paul Smith, from Sep 2009 to Jul 2026, are free to browse and replay move by move — no signup needed. The preparation view groups them into an opening tree showing every line Paul Smith has played.
What does Paul Smith play on the first move as White?
Across 29 games with White in our database, Paul Smith opens with 1.d4 (76% of games), 1.Nf3 (24% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Paul Smith answers 1...d5 (67% of games), 1...e6 (20% of games), 1...c5 (13% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (91% of games), 1...d5 (9% of games).
What openings does Paul Smith play as White?
As White, Paul Smith's most-played openings in our database are: London System (9 games, 55.6% win rate); Réti Opening (4 games, 25.0% win rate); Queen's Pawn Game (3 games, 33.3% win rate). The full breakdown of 29 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Paul Smith play as Black?
As Black, Paul Smith most often plays: Scandinavian Defense: Main Line (10 games, 30.0% win rate); London System (4 games, 75.0% win rate); Indian Defense (3 games, 33.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 31 games.
What is Paul Smith's FIDE rating?
Paul Smith is currently rated 1,760 in classical chess, 1,800 in rapid. Peak classical rating: 1,818 (Jul 2011).
How many games has Paul Smith played?
Our database contains 60 games by Paul Smith, covering Sep 2009 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 23 wins, 13 draws, 24 losses (38.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Paul Smith?
60 games by Paul Smith reveal their opening repertoire, most-played lines, and the variations where they score worst — the raw material for targeted preparation. The interactive opening tree lets you walk every line to any depth.